Following an extensive hiring process the La Grande School District Superintendent Larry Glaze recommended to the School Board to approve the hire of a new Principal for La Grande High School. The current Principal Andrea Waldrop announced her retirement effective June 30th of this year, making the position available.

During the hiring process Mr. Brett Baxter chosen out of other candidates and accepted the position, pending Board approval. Baxter has most recently served as the Principal of Greenwood Elementary School and prior to that served as the Assistant Principal of La Grande High School for two years. He also taught Language Arts at La Grande High School.

The Principal of La Grande High is responsible for the overall operation of the school and for coordinating the efforts of personnel to ensure that each student is provided with the highest quality education. The La Grande High School is home to approximately 625 students in grades 9 – 12.

“Mr. Baxter’s track record as an administrator and progressive vision for the future of La Grande High School made him the top candidate. We received applications from many qualified applicants but in the end, Mr. Baxter was clearly the best fit for this position,” said Glaze.

Baxter will officially begin July 1, 2014 in his new capacity.

Greenwood Elementary

With Mr. Baxter’s acceptance of the High School Principal position, a vacancy has been created at Greenwood Elementary for a Principal. Mr. Mike Gregory has accepted an appointment by the Superintendent to serve as Interim Principal at Greenwood Elementary School for the 2014-2015 school year. Mr. Gregory is a familiar face at Greenwood – he served as Principal from July, 2000 until his retirement on June 30, 2013.

Since leaving the District in 2013, Mr. Gregory has continued to serve as a leader in the Professional Learning Community program and has served as a consultant to other school districts. Mr. Gregory’s energy, enthusiasm and leadership skills made him the obvious choice for the one-year appointment. Early next spring a full-scale search for a new Principal will take place